The present disclosure relates to bio-renewable flame-retardant compounds and, more specifically, flame-retardant aconitic acid-derived small molecules.
Bio-based, sustainable compounds can be used in the syntheses of substances that previously required petroleum-based raw materials. Examples of uses for bio-based compounds include polymers, flame retardants, cross-linkers, etc. There are numerous strategies for efficiently and inexpensively producing bio-based compounds on an industrial scale. Examples of these strategies can be found in fermentation technologies, membrane technologies, and genetic engineering. Aconitic acid (propene-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid) is one example of a bio-based compound that can have applications as a component of various polymers, resins, and small molecules. Aconitic acid is an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, wherein it is acted upon by the aconitase enzyme. Bio-based materials, such as sugarcane or citric acid, are common sources of aconitic acid.